Facts Of The Day 9/29

Extreme Heat

• The drought in Dewitt, Iowa has shortened the fall’s bean yield.

• Minnesota farmers have struggled with growing pumpkins and apples amid ongoing drought.

• Farmers in Hawaii have struggled more and more with growing crops due to climate change, especially wildfires, droughts, and excessive heat.

• Regli Jerseys Farm in Ferndale, California has struggled to feed livestock due to the lack of pasture from the drought.

• After prolonged drought conditions, Wyoming farmers faced the difficult choice of either buying supplemental feed at higher-than-normal prices or culling their herds.

• Many families face having to move to regions with extreme heat to find affordable housing.

• The return of the red tide in Anna Maria Island, Florida in mid-September after it first appeared in the area in April drove away tourists.

Wildfires

• As of Wednesday, there are currently 61 large active wildfires that have burned 3,001,607 acres across CA, CO, ID, MT, NV, OK, OR, WA, and WY. This year to date, 46,091 wildfires have burned 5,907,288 acres across the country.

• 1 of every 8 acres in the state of California has been burned by wildfires since 2012.

• Wildfires in the Western United States are increasingly threatening the region’s drinking water supply.

• With the severity of the region’s drought, Santa Ana winds, and the likelihood of a La Nina, Southern California is at an increased risk of wildfires next month.

• In California, 10 fires have burned 1,992,513 acres as of Wednesday.

  • The Caldor Fire burned 221,774 acres and was 76% contained as of Wednesday.

  • The Dixie Fire burned 963,309 acres and was 94% contained as of Wednesday.

  • The Fawn Fire burned 8,595 acres and was 70% contained as of Wednesday.

    • As of Tuesday evening, 185 structures had been destroyed, 26 structures were damaged and another 80 structures are still threatened.

  • The KNP Complex Fire burned 48,344 acres and was 8% contained as of Wednesday.

    • As of Tuesday evening, about 158 homes in the Sequoia National Park, in the Lodgepole area, and nearby communities of Three Rivers and Hartland are threatened by the KNP Complex fire.

• In Colorado, 1 fire has burned a total of 3,792 acres as of Wednesday.

• In Idaho, 19 fires have burned a total of 249,428 acres as of Wednesday.

• In Montana, 11 fires have burned a total of 223,900 acres as of Wednesday.

• In Nevada, 2 fires have burned a total of 89,637 acres as of Wednesday.

• In Oklahoma, 1 fire has burned a total of 911 acres as of Wednesday.

• In Oregon, 6 fires have burned a total of 292,253 acres as of Wednesday.

• In Washington, 7 fires have burned a total of 132,857 acres as of Wednesday.

• In Wyoming, 4 fires have burned a total of 16,316 acres as of Wednesday.

Hurricanes

• As of Wednesday morning, Hurricane Sam remains a Category 4 storm with winds measuring at 130 MPH, moving northwest at 9 MPH, and was located 455 miles east of the northern Leeward Islands.

  • Sam is currently not expected to impact Florida, although it could still create large swells that could reach the eastern United States next week.

• The city of Flint, Michigan, reported on Tuesday that nearly 32 million gallons of partially treated slurry flooded into the Flint River during last week’s storms.

  • The plant is designed to treat 50 million gallons per day, with the capacity to temporarily hold about 20 million extra gallons, which will then spill into the river after being treated with a solution of water and bleach.

  • Flint also reported 3 other separate spills last week, caused by overflows totaling more than 6 million gallons in the Flint River.

• Grand Isle in Louisiana, which is a destination spot for fishing and vacationers, has been closed except to those who live in or around camps there as residents continue to recover from Hurricane Ida.

  • As 80% of the town’s structures have been damaged, about 200 personnel from various agencies work on recovery efforts.

• Officials in the St. Tammany Parish in Louisiana expects its Hurricane Ida debris pickup and collection will last until the end of October.

  • The debris from the storm include tree branches and trunks, household items, and construction debris.

  • The collection has been hampered by issues including larger trucks unable to advance down streets due to tree canopies or sagging telephone lines.

• Residents in Holden, Louisiana now have to worry about mold growing in the wake of Hurricane Ida’s floods and rain.

Climate Studies